Scouting the Commodores

Nick Medline

09/04/2012

Northwestern players and coaches vowed the team would make significant improvements after the week-one escape from Syracuse. The next challenger, the Vanderbilt Commodores, won't be an easy matchup. PurpleWildcats.com offers a detailed scouting report of the week-two matchup.

Looking Back

On Thursday in Nashville, Vanderbilt fell behind early, as South Carolina jumped to a 10-0 advantage on the heels of running back
Marcus Lattimore. The Commodores defense managed to hang tough,
holding the Gamecocks scoreless during the next 30 minutes of play.

Vandy reeled off 13 unanswered points and clung to a three-point
fourth quarter lead. Then Lattimore capped an efficient nine-play
drive with his second touchdown run of the night, as South Carolina
regained the lead for good at 17-13.

The game ended in controversy when the officiating crew failed to blow
the whistle after apparent South Carolina pass interference. With time
winding down, Vanderbilt wideout Jordan Matthews streaked down the
field on fourth-and-seven. The ball hit the turf just ahead of him,
and replays clearly showed that a South Carolina corner pulled his
arm. Vandy never had another offensive possession, as Steve Spurrier's
Gamecocks ran out the final 1:47.

The outcome represented another close loss for a Commodores team on
the verge of competing in the SEC. Last season, four of their losses
came by six points or fewer.

To those who watched Vandy's season-opening loss and expect a tight
defensive matchup this Saturday, think again.

The low score hardly reflected second-year head coach James Franklin's
mindset. In its six wins last season, Vanderbilt scored an average of
37 points.

When Northwestern and Vanderbilt met in 2010, the Wildcats won 23-21.
The 2012 episode could be a shootout. Nothing new for Wildcat fans.

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Vandy on Offense

Vandy pivot Jordan Rodgers – brother of Aaron - outplayed his opponent
Connor Shaw in the passing game on Thursday, averaging an excellent
9.3 yards per attempt. Jordan Matthews was the primary recipient,
catching eight balls for 147 yards and a score.

Similar to Syracuse, which boasted Marcus Sales, Vanderbilt leans on
one receiver for production. NU redshirt freshman Nick VanHoose, the
top defensive back for NU on Saturday, appears to match up best with
Matthews given the importance of size against a 6-3 receiver.

But still, assuming that a first-year corner can slow down an elite
receiver is a stretch. Safety help over the top will be crucial if the
Cats hope to prevent Matthews from putting forth another dominant
performance.

Last year, senior running back Zac Stacy gained 1193 yards on the
ground with 14 touchdowns, both single-season school records. In the
South Carolina game, he ran for only 48 yards on 13 carries. Rodgers,
a mobile quarterback, went for minus-eight yards and failed to break
containment until the fourth quarter.

Respected offensive coordinator John Donovan, who revitalized the
Commodores attack in 2011, will look to establish the running game
early on. NU's defensive line, which impressed at times in the season
opener, needs to shine.

Sophomore defensive tackle Sean McEvilly impressed against Syracuse,
gaining strength down the stretch. That might earn him playing time
against Vandy. The front four should anticipate a busy workload, and
defensive line coach Marty Long will rely on solid performances from a
number of linemen.

NU linebackers face a much different task this week. They were
especially counted upon in pass coverage against Ryan Nassib of
Syracuse. With Rodgers and Stacy in the backfield, the crew will be
forced to step up in the run game. The physical David Nwabuisi seems
primed to reach double-digits in tackles.

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Vandy on Defense

In his first season as defensive coordinator in 2011, Bob Shoop's unit
was ninth in the nation in pass defense efficiency. Success against
South Carolina in that department came as no surprise, then. The
Gamecocks struggled mightily through the air, gaining only 67 yards in
15 attempts.

Cornerback Kenny Ladler highlighted the excellent effort from the
Commodores secondary. The junior stuffed the defensive box score with
an interception, a pass breakup, a sack and nine tackles. NU faced a
leaky Orange secondary in the opener, but Vanderbilt provides a stiff
challenge in the passing game.

Northwestern survived Syracuse with only two of its top five receivers
heavily involved. Look for Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian to utilize
the Wildcats receiving depth this week - Rashad Lawrence and Kyle Prater in particular - to attack Vandy defensive backs.

Star linebacker Chris Marve was one of three defensive starters who
graduated this offseason. Vanderbilt blog Anchor of Gold predicted
that much of the team's defensive success rested on the play of his
replacement, Chase Garnham. Garnham was up for the task Thursday, with
nine tackles including a sack.

Marcus Lattimore may be the top running back in the nation, but Venric Mark poses a different type of challenge. Though not as polished or
skilled as Lattimore, Mark can break away in the open field. The front
four for Vanderbilt, which boasts three seniors, will
look to take advantage of an inexperienced Wildcat offensive line.

More disturbing for Shoop must have been the unit's inability to stop
Shaw on the ground. Shaw ran for 92 yards, seven of which came on a
late third-and-five conversion that delivered the final blow to
Vandy's hopes. If those struggles continue, Colter will have little
trouble moving the ball against the Commodores defense.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, Vanderbilt matches up well with Northwestern in nearly every
area. If the Commodores can make adjustments and exploit the
beleaguered Northwestern defense, Saturday plans to be another
stressful night for the Cats faithful.